Summary On 11 June 1998, the bulk carrier GRANT CARRIER was transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway upbound under the conduct of a pilot. When the vessel was approaching the Saint-Louis Bridge, the bridge operator called the vessel to advise that he was unable to give the green light and was trying to complete the operation by lowering the bridge slightly and then raising it again. While manoeuvring to avoid passing under the bridge, the vessel struck bottom on the south side of the canal. The bottom plating was holed, and an ingress of water in the No. 4 port ballast tank was reported. No one was injured and there was no pollution as a result of this occurrence. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel The Saint-Louis Bridge spans the Beauharnois Canal 5.3 miles south-west of the entrance to Upper Beauharnois Lock. A section of the bridge spanning the seaway channel, 54.9 m in length, is raised vertically to allow a vertical clearance of 36.6 m. The vertical clearance of the bridge (which is part of the facilities of the St. Lawrence Seaway) is 4.3 m when closed (Sailing Directions, ENC301). The bridge operator has a very high frequency (VHF) transceiver using channel 14 to communicate with vessels in an emergency. The bridge is also equipped with a radar set capable of measuring radar ranges. On 11 June 1998, the GRANT CARRIER was transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway bound for Toledo in the United States. On the navigation bridge, the navigation personnel comprised the master, the second officer and a helmsman at the steering position, and a Seaway pilot had the conduct of the vessel. The sky was cloudy, but the weather was clear, and the winds were calm. Shortly after midnight, eastern daylight time (EDT)[1], the vessel exited the Beauharnois Locks, bound toward the Saint-Louis Bridge upstream on the Seaway. The vessel approached whistle sign W 9 downstream of the Saint-Louis Bridge and observed the amber signal lights (on the caution sign) flashing. The signal lights confirmed that the bridge operator had seen the vessel and was preparing to raise the bridge. The bridge section began to rise until it seemed to be at its maximum height. The vessel's main engine was at full ahead, and the vessel was making about nine knots according to the global positioning system. The vessel faced a countercurrent of about two knots. However, the red signal lights prohibiting passage under the bridge were still on. As the vessel approached high-tension lines 0.85 nautical mile downstream of the bridge, the pilot received a call from the bridge operator informing him that he was unable to give the green light and was trying to complete the operation by lowering the bridge slightly and then raising it again. The ship's telegraph was put to dead slow to reduce the vessel's speed. Approximately one minute later, the bridge operator informed the pilot that the problem had not been solved, that the vessel should slow down and that he would try again (to lower and raise the bridge); the main engine was then stopped and put to full astern. At 0045, to take way off the vessel, the pilot ordered the helm hard-to-port and the engine to full astern. At this point, the vessel was between 0.6 and 0.7 nautical mile from the bridge. The GRANT CARRIER veered to port and left the channel on the south side. At 0048, the engine was reduced to slow astern, and then at 0050, the main engine was stopped. Manoeuvres to stabilize the vessel in the current did not produce the expected results. The vessel drifted downstream to the east of buoy C-13, still outside the channel some 350 to 400 m upstream of the hydro towers. The water depth at this point is between 8.84 and 9.14 m. There is a shoal in the same area covered with only 4.26 m of water toward the south shore. Meanwhile, the opening span was locked in the up position, and the green signal lights came on. To avoid being set toward the hydro towers, the pilot ordered the helm hard-to-starboard and the engine to dead slow ahead. As the vessel turned to starboard, she struck bottom. As the bridge lights were green, it was decided to pass under the bridge and anchor in the emergency anchorage just upstream of the bridge. At 0104, the GRANT CARRIER passed under the bridge and, at 0122, the pilot informed Seaway Beauharnois that the vessel was anchored in the emergency anchorage and was taking on water somewhere at the stern. A check of the compartments revealed that there was an ingress of water in the No. 4 port ballast tank, which caused the vessel to list slightly to port. On the GRANT CARRIER, the main engine is controlled from the bridge via an engine telegraph. The response time for speed changes while manoeuvring is reportedly synchronized. The propeller's pitch is to the right. Downstream of the Saint-Louis Bridge, the water is shallow to the north of the shipping channel, but it is deep enough to the south. Thus, from whistle sign W 9 downstream to the south lane of the bridge, ships have about 1 850 m to take off way. According to the vessel's manoeuvrability specifications, the GRANT CARRIER can make an emergency stop in eight minutes over a distance of 1 890 m from full speed ahead in deep water.